Gage.



No. 823,378. PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906. G. H. WAGNER.

GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.27, 190s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application filed March 27, 1906. Serial No. 308,316.

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. WAGNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cedar Falls, in the county of Blackhawk and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Gages, of which thefollowing is a specification. I

This inventionrelates to gages designed especially for use in holding astraight-edge in the operation of laying the shingles, and has for itsobjects to produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device of thischaracter which may be readily applied for use, one which will besecurely retained in applied position, but may be conveniently releasedwhen desired, and one wherein the gage-arm may be readily adjusted inthe operation of properly positioning the straight-edge.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises the novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafterdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gageembodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section takencentrally through the gage and showing the same applied for use.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the gage membercomprises a base member or piece 1, a spacing member or block 2, and alongitudinally-adjustable supporting member or piece 3, the spacingmember 2, which is formed from a length of strap metal bent into shape,as shown, being attached to the base-piece 1 by means of a rivet 4,while the supporting member 3, which is likewise composed of a length ofstrap metal, is provided with a longitudinal opening or slot 5, adaptedto accommodate a screw 6, engaged with the spacing-block 2 and equippedwith a clamping-nut 7, arranged to act upon a clamping member or plate8, having terminal flanges 9, which bear on the edges of the supportingmember 3. The base-piece 1, which constitutes an engaging member forretaining the device in position upon the roof, as seen in Fig. 2, isprovided at its normally lower end with a pair of downturned sharpenedengaging portions or teeth 10, which when the device is applied areembedded in one of the shingles 11 and has its normally upper endsharpened to produce a knife-edge 12, which enters between the shingles,as shown, while formed at the upper end of the supporting-plate 3 is asubstantially L-shaped engaging portion or head 13, designed to receivea straight-edge 14, it being understood in this connection that two ofthe gages are employed for supporting the straight-edge while laying theshingles, there being formed on the spacing-block 2 by suitably bendingthe length of material of which the same is composed adownwardly-extending curved finger-piece 15, adapted to be grasped bythe operator for lifting the device to free the teeth 10 from theshingle 11 when the bevel of the gage is to be changed.

In practice the gage is attached to the roof by introducing thesharpened portion 12 of member 1 between the overlapping portions of apair of the shingles 11, the member being inserted a suflicient distancefor the block 2 to contact with the butt of the uppermost shingle, afterwhich the teeth 10 are embedded in the uppermost shingle for holding thedevice in place. The straight-edge 14 is next positioned on thesupporting member 3, as shown in Fig. 2, and in laying the next courseof shingles the butts thereof are alined on the upper-edge of the member14, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will be understood thatafter a course of shingles have been laid the gage members, a pair ofwhich are, as before stated, employed for supporting the straight-edge,disengage and move one step higher up, and the operation continued asheretofore explained. Furthermore, it is apparent that by releasing thethumb-nut 7 the supporting member 3 may be adjusted longitudinally asdesired for properly positioning the straight edge to regulate thedistances between the shingles.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- In a device of theclass described, a base member, a spacing member or block attached tosaid base member and comprising a single length of material bent intoshape to form a substantially rectangular body portion and a bearingfinger-piece, a supporting member provided with an engaging head, andmeans for adjustably connecting the supporting member with thespacing-block.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE H. WAGNER.

Witnesses:

W. H. MERNER, A. WAGNER.

